Cheers to me!

No drinks for me, please!

It’s a decision I’ve weighed for a long time now and just hadn’t made the commitment to myself to choose differently for a while. But now I have.

I’ve always pushed back against society’s attachment to the idea that alcohol = fun. And that no alcohol = less fun. I spent most of 2021 in a relationship that was built around the idea of having fun outside and then having drinks. The few times I contemplated stepping away from alcohol during that time, I resisted because I recognized how much of our daily patterns and time connecting were linked to visiting new breweries and trying out the latest sours or IPAs from a new spot. It’s not that I couldn’t quit during that time or even that he wouldn’t have supported me, but I definitely would’ve traveled that road alone, which didn’t feel that appealing in the framing of sharing a life with someone.

As I’ve been spending time now out of a relationship and focused on removing things from my life that don’t add any value or happiness, it became clear that it was a great time to take a break from alcohol. Not forever and maybe not even for a long time, but definitely for right now. Long enough to break the habitual thought of reaching for a beer on a warm afternoon or pouring a cocktail after dinner or suggesting friends and I meet up at the local distillery.

It’s worth noting that this isn’t a judgement against alcohol or friends that choose to enjoy drinks, and it’s not me saying I don’t want to be around others that drink. I’m super happy to sip on my Arnold Palmer while you enjoy a classic old fashioned, and I’ll happily carry around my favorite koozie with the newest flavor of AHA while you crack open a craft beer. To each their own!

But, for now I also invite you to consider that instead of grabbing drinks and catching up, let’s go paddle somewhere. Or catch some fish. Or go for a walk in the park. Or just sit in the sunshine and talk. Or go try out that new BBQ place and get most of our joy from the brisket. Or any number of other rewarding things that might make us both a little less likely to have a drink in our hands.